Personal Watercraft Safety Course

Casting Off „ „ Check that the lanyard is attached to your wrist or life jacket. „ „ Check that the fuel cock is in the “on” position.

„ „ Check the steering and throttle as the PWC is eased away from the dock. „ „ Check your surroundings. Watch for swimmers and other boats. Leave the dock or beach area slowly. Remember the 5 mph law within 200 feet of a beach and 100 feet of anyone in the water. Returning to Shore „ „ Check your speed. Slow to minimum speed as you approach the landing site. „ „ Check the water depth. Be prepared to get off the PWC prior to touching bottom at about 18 inches depth. Push the PWC ashore or to its mooring site. Navigational Aids Buoys, the primary waterway marking system, have distinctive shapes, numbers, lights, and sounds to guide boaters on a safe course. There may be other signs and markers showing rules and regulations that are set by local authorities. Signs also control speed. When operating a PWC, the most important signs to recognize are the ones that read “NO WAKE” and “5 MPH.” These signs must be obeyed by ALL boaters. Lateral markers and safe water aides also mark channels. When returning to dock, solid green marks the left side of the channel, red marks the right side, and red- striped marks the middle.

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